Former Borno State Governor Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has rejected a viral report claiming he accused Vice President Kashim Shettima of founding Boko Haram. He described the claims as false and malicious. The denial comes amid ongoing political tensions in Nigeria.
Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, who served as Governor of Borno State, issued a strong denial on November 8, 2025, against a circulating online report. The report alleged that Sheriff had accused Vice President Kashim Shettima of creating the Islamist militant group Boko Haram during Shettima's tenure as Borno Governor from 2011 to 2019.
In statements reported by Daily Trust and ThisDay, Sheriff dismissed the claims as 'false and malicious.' He emphasized that he had never made such accusations against Shettima, a fellow northerner and political figure from Borno. The viral report's origins remain unclear, but it has fueled speculation in Nigeria's polarized political landscape, where Boko Haram's insurgency has caused widespread devastation since 2009.
Sheriff's rebuttal highlights the sensitivity of Boko Haram discussions, often entangled with regional politics in the northeast. No further details on the report's source were provided in the coverage, and Sheriff called for restraint to avoid misinformation. This incident underscores ongoing efforts to combat fake news in Nigerian media.
Background on Boko Haram reveals its emergence in Borno, but no verified links to specific politicians like Shettima have been established in official records. Shettima, now Vice President under President Bola Tinubu, has previously addressed security challenges in the region during his governorship.